She’s ushering in a new era at the college!
Tiffany Tucker has been named the new athletics director at The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), CBS News reports. A former star athlete herself, Tucker played four years of college basketball at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. She holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from UNC and a master’s in sports administration from Hampton University. Tucker went on to serve in a number of capacities at several institutions, including Elizabeth City State, Hampton, and South Carolina State, before serving as deputy athletics director at the University of North Carolina Wilmington since 2021. Now, Tucker has made history, becoming the first Black woman athletics director at UMBC.
“I am beyond thrilled to embark on this incredible journey as the new athletics director at UMBC. As an athletics leader, my mission is to create a vibrant, infectious atmosphere that empowers student-athletes, coaches, and staff to reach unprecedented heights. I am committed to fostering best-in-class excellence in competition, the classroom, and the campus community,” Tucker said.
In addition to her work in athletics, Tucker is also a champion for inclusivity, serving on the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association Membership Committee and the Women Leaders in College Sports Education and Professional Development Committee, UMBC reports. She is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and Women Leaders in College Sports, a previous chair of the Colonial Athletic Association Family United for Change Committee, where she helped spearhead anti-racism and social justice efforts, and was named one of 100 Influential Black Women in Sports by Sports Illustrated in 2021.
According to UMBC, only seven percent of Division I athletic directors are women of color. Tucker is now a part of that pioneering class, becoming the first woman and first person of color to head the athletic department.
“Tiffany has taken on increasingly challenging leadership roles throughout her distinguished career, establishing herself as a champion of equity-based athletic excellence in coaching and administration and student-athlete development and well-being…UMBC is proud to be a leader in recognizing talent like Tiffany. I feel incredibly fortunate that she has chosen us,” said UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby.
Tucker will begin her new role at UMBC on August 15th.
Cover photo: Tiffany Tucker Named First Black Woman Athletics Director at UMBC/Photo credit: Jeff Janowski/University of North Carolina Wilmington